Time-stamp.



No. 637,3!5. Patented Nov. 2|, I899. J. 6. WILSON.

TIME STAMP.-

(Application filed Apr. 16, 1894.) (M 3 Sheets-Sheet 1,

No. 637,3l5. Patented Nov." 2|, I899. J. 6. WILSON.

TIME STAMP.

(Application filed Apr. 16, 1894.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shoot 2,

No. 637,135. Patented Nov; 2|, I899. J. 6. WILSON.

TIME STAMP.

(Application filed Apr. 16, 1894.)

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3,

THE NORRIS F-ETERS c0, PNOYQ-LITHQ., WASHWGTON. n. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT union.

JOHN C. IVILSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

TIME-STAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,315, dated'November 21, 1899.

Application filed April 16, 1894. Serial No. 507,626. (No modeLl To whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, JOHN 0. WILSON, of s ton, county of Suffolk, and Commonwealth of Massacl1usetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Time-Stamps; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain improvements in that class of time-stamps in which time-printing disks or indicators, carrying representations of the hands of a clock in printing form, are connected with a clocktrain and rotated thereby in juxtaposition with a stationary printing-die of circular form, upon which the hours of the day and the minutes of an hour are engraved. A time-stamp of such a character is described in Reissue United States Letters Patent No. 9,910, granted to George E. Emerson, and in United States Letters Patent No. 527,918, issued to me October 23, 1894, to which reference may be made.

In carrying out my invention I construct a time-stamp similar to that above described which will print not only the hour and minutes, but also the exact second at one impression. This and other objects are carried out by the mechanism hereinafter described, and shown in the drawings.

My invention consists of certain novel features hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention further consists in the novel arrangement of gearing, shafts, arbors, and sleeves in connection with a clock-train and the time-printing disks or indicators, so that the minute-printing disk or indicator will move concentrically outside of the hour-printing disk or indicator and therefore very close to the stationary hour or minute printing die, thus making the reading of the exact minute much easier than would be when moving inside of the hour-printing disk or indicator, as is usual in time-stamps of this class.

My invention also consists of certain novel features, arrangements, and combinations hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view of a time-stamp em bodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, on the line a as of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section. Fig. 4 is a view of the time-printing dies secured to a section of the bed-plate. Fig. 5 is a facsimile of an impression given by the timeprinting dies. Fig. 6 is a detail view in elevation of the gearing and the connection of the hour and minute printing disks or indicators with the clock-train. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same. Fig. 8 is a view of the printing-face of the hour and minute printing disks.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

As a time-stamp capable of printing the exact hour, minute, and second would be frequently used in connection with electric alarm or signal systems of various kinds, it

.lever B is attached a manual stamping handle or knob D, while the other extremity carries the printing-platen D of usual construction, and near its centera soft-iron armature E is fastened, which will cooperate with the electrom agnet E to operate the platen by electromagnetism when desired.

The movement of the platen D downward is limited or controlled by the revoluble button F, fitted with a projection F, which may be turned under the end of the platen, and thus act as a limiting-stop to its movement.

A clock-train G of ordinary construction, with its circular containing or bearing plates II and I, is fastened by means of its upper plate H to a larger circular plate I,from which it is separated by the washers or collars J J. The minute and seconds arbors or shafts L L of the clock-train G project upward through the plate I, the minute-arbor L carrying the minute-hand directly and the hour-hand indirectly by translation through the changewheels and hour-sleeve in the ordinary way. To the seconds-arbor L the seconds-hand is fastened, and the hour, minute, and seconds hands cooperate with the clock-dial to visibly indicate the time, as shown in Fig. 1.

The upper part of the casing A is of circular form and extends downward to the line 03 m, where it is of smaller dimensions and rectangular in shape. It iucloses the clock-frame G, with its attachments, and also the hour, minute, and seconds shafts of the time-printing disks or indicators, (lettered in the drawings as O, O, and P, respectively,) which are controlled by the clock-train G in the manner hereinafter described.

The plate I is fastened to the inside of the casing A by being screwed to a projecting lip or ring M by the screws N N. To the lower face of the upper part of the casing A, just above the line 00 5c, the bed-plate Q is attached, and to it are fastened the inking ribbon and holder R, the stationary hour and minute printing die a, and the stationary secondsprinting die a, while through it pass the shafts of the hour, minute, and seconds printing disks or indicators 0, O, and P.

In order to make the minute-printing disk or indicator revolve outside of the hour-printing disk or indicator, I fasten a pinion b to the minute shaft or arbor Z) where it projects through the plate H, and I also slip a hollow cylinder or sleeve 1) over the part of the minute shaft or arbor b which extends below the pinion b. This hollow sleeve or cylinder Z2 is preferably made out of a solid cylindrical piece of metal, the upper end of whichis bored out to a sufficient depth and size to enable it to revolve properly upon the minute-shaft I), while the lower end is shaped so that the shaft 0 of the inner time-printing disk or indicator 6 may be easily attached thereto by means of the spring-clutches c c, which are fastened to its sides.

Upon the hollow sleeve or cylinder 1) I superimpose another or outer sleeve d, which carries a pinion d at its upper end and is slotted on opposite sides at its lower end, so as to receive the coinciding projections on the shaft 0 of the outer printing disk or indicator C2 The shaft 0, which is connected with the outer sleeve d, is hollow, and its time-printing disk (1 is in the form of a ring, and through its interior the shaft 0, carrying the inner time-printing disk 6, is connected with the inner sleeve D The upper face of the outer time-printing disk 61 bears upon the face of the bed-plate Q, while the upper face of the inner disk 6 has its bearing upon a lip or shoulder upon the inside of the outer hollow shaft 0'. The inner shaft 0 is attached to the inner sleeve 19 by means of the spring-clutches c c, and the amount of friction developed in the bearings of the disks in their rotation may be regulated by the adjustment of the springs.

Upon a round stud or arbor 6, attached to the under side of the plate 11,1 place two gearwheels f f of the same size, and between them I also place a smaller gear wheel or pinion f to which the two larger gear-wheels ff are firmly fastened, thus forming one integral composite gear. The upper gear-wheel f of this composite gear engages with the pinion b on the minute shaft or arbor Z1 of the clocktrain G, while the lower gear-wheel f engages with the pinion d on the outer sleeve d, and the smaller gear wheel or pinion f engages with the gear-wheel g on the inner sleeve b".

The operation of the gears, sleeves, and arbors is as follows: When the driving or minute shaft Z) is rotated, the pinion 1) drives the upper gear-wheel f, and thereby also rotates the smaller gear wheel or pinion f and the lower gear-wheel f. The smaller gear wheel or pinion f in turn drives the gear-wheelg on the inner sleeve and the shaft 0, carrying the inner time-printing disk or indicator. At the same time the lower gear-wheel f drives the pinion on the outer sleeve (1, carrying the outer printing disk or indicator (Z the result being that the outer sleeve d and time-printing disk or indicator (1 make one revolution in one hour, while the inner sleeve 19 and time-printing disk or indicator c make one revolution in twelve hours. The outer timeprinting disk or indicator (1 therefore moves in unison with the visible min ute-hand and the inner time-printing disk or indicator 0 moves in unison with the visible hour-hand of the clock, and the end desired is thereby attained.

It is obvious that the seconds shaft or arbor of a clock-train exhibits very much less power than either the hour or minute shafts or arbors, and consequently an amount of friction or resistance which would not seriously impede or interfere with the motion of the minute or hour shafts would, nevertheless, be sufficient when encountered by the secondsshaft to either entirely stop the running of the clock-train or else make it useless for time-keeping purposes.

To make a seconds-printing time-stamp, it is necessary to attach to the seconds-shaft of the clock-train a seconds-printing disk or indicator carrying a representation of the seconds-hand of a clock in printing form, which will revolve within a stationary circular die having the seconds contained in a minute engraved upon it, so that when the stamp is operated an impression of the moving secondsprinting disk or indicator and the stationary seconds-die may be made, and thus indicate the exact second at which the impression was taken; but in order to reduce the friction of operation to a minimum and also to obviate any impeding or derangement of the clocktrain which would be liable to occur on account of the impact of the platen against the moving seconds-printing disk or indicator I fasten a wire spiral 7i of proper strength, size, and elasticity at either end to the collars 7t W. I then screw or pin the collar to the seconds shaft or arbor i of the clock-train G, and in the same manner I attach the shaft P of the seconds-printing disk or indicator 2" to the other'eollar 72 The shaft P of the secondsprinting indicator i is small enough to allow it to pass through the bed-plate Q without touching it and is of such a length relative to the spiral h that the disk which carries the seconds-printing die revolves at the distance of a small fraction of an inch below its seat on'the bed-plate Q. When the platen D is operated, it lifts the suspended seconds-printing disk orindicatorz" against its seat in the bedplate Q, compresses the spiral 7i, and lessens its torsional strength to such an extent that it practically offers such a slight obstacle to the continued operation of the clock-train G that an ordinary blow of the platen I) does not last long enough to allow the torsional resistance of the spiral 72 to appreciably affeet the escapement or vary the rate of the clock-train G. As soon as the platen D returns to its normal position the torsional resilience of the spiral h carries the secondsprinting disk or indicator 2" forward to its proper position, and at the same time its weight and the elasticity of the spiral 7i cause it to assume its normal position of unrestrained suspension immediately below the bed-plate Q. By this mode of construction and attachment of the seconds-printing disk or indicator to the seconds-shaft of a clocktrain I find that it is just as easy to print the seconds as the hour and minute and that no perceptible effect is produced upon the clock by the operation of the platen or the rotation of the seconds-printing disk or indicator.

I do not limit myself to the exact arrangement or construction shown, as the same may be varied Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus ascertained the nature and set forth the construction of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a time-printing machine, a printing bed-plate or seat, a seconds'printing disk or indicator adapted to be rotated and normally suspended below and out of contact with the said bed-plate or seat, a stationary printingdie upon which the seconds of a minute are engraved in printing form surrounding the said rotatable seconds-printing disk or indicator, and a clock-train adapted to rotate the said rotatable disk, combined with a yielding connection attached to the actuating shaft or arbor of the said clock-train, from which the said seconds-printing disk or indicator is suspended, and a platen adapted to cooperate with said printing-die and rotatable disk.

2. In a time-printing machine, an actuating clock-train, a printing bed-plate, an hourshaft having on one end a printing disk or indicator, a minute-shaft having on one end a printing disk or indicator, a time-dial printing-die in juxtaposition with said hour and minute printing disks or indicators and with. which said disks or indicators cooperate, a

seconds-shaft having on one end a printing disk or indicator adapted to be rotated and suspended below and out of contact with said bedplate or seat, a time-printing die upon'which the seconds of the minute are marked, and with which the said disk or indicator of the seconds-shaft cooperates in combination with a yielding connection attached tothe actuatingshaft of said clock-train, from which said seconds-printing disk or indicator is suspended, and a platen adapted to cooperate with said printing-dies and with said hour, minute and seconds printing disks or indicators.

3. In atiine-printing machine, an actuating clock-train, a printing bed-plate, an hourshai't having on one end a printing disk or indicator, a minute-shaft having on one end a printing disk or indicator, a time-dial printing-die in juxtaposition with said hour and minute printing disks or indicators and with which said disks or indicators cooperate,'a seconds-shaft having on one end a printing disk orindicator adapted to be rotated and suspended below and out of contact with said bedplate or seat, a time-printing die upon which the seconds of the minute are marked, and with which the said disk or indicator of the seconds-shaft cooperates, in combination with a yielding connection attached to the actuatingshaft of said clock-train, from which said seconds-printing disk or indicator is suspended, moving hands respectively on the opposite ends of the hour, minute and seconds shafts, a visible auxiliary dial with which said hands cooperate, in combination with a platen adapted to cooperate with said printing-dies and with said hour, minute and seconds disks or indicators.

4. In a time-printing machine, an actuating clock-train, hour and minute printing disks or indicators adapted to be rotated thereby, a time-printing dial-die on which the hours of the day are marked and with which said disks or indicators cooperate, a seconds-printing disk or indicator attached to the seconds shaft of said elock-train and adapted to be rotated thereby, a time-printing dial-die upon which are marked the seconds of the minute and with which said seconds-printing disk or indicator cooperates, in combination with a yielding connection attached to the said seconds-shaft to which connection said secondsprinting disk or indicator is secured, and a platen adapted to cooperate with said printing-dies and with said printing disks or indi caters.

5. In a timeprinting machine, an actuating clocktrain provided with a drivingshaft making one revolution in one hour, hour and minute printing disks or indicators adapted to be rotated, a stationary time-printing dialdie on which the hours of the day are marked and with which said disks or indicators cooperate, a platen cotiperating with said dialdie and with said printing disks or indicators, in combination with concentric and superimposed rotatable inner and outer sleeves surrounding the said driving-shaft and respectively connected with said hour and minute disks or indicators, and a suitable gearing interposed between said driving-shaft and the said clock train and the said sleeves whereby the outer sleeve and minute disk or indicator are caused to rotate twelve times as fast as the inner sleeve and the hour disk or indicator.

6. In a time-printing machine, an actuating clock-train provided with a driving shaft making one revolution in one minute, hour and minute printing disks or indicators adapted to be rotated, a stationary printing timedial die on which the hours of the day are marked surrounding said printing disks or indicators, a platen cooperating With said dial-die and with said disks or indicators, in combination with concentric and superimposed rotatable inner and outer sleeves respectively connected with said hour and minute disks or indicators, the said sleeves surrounding said driving-shaft and being driven thereby, a visible clock-die, hour and minute hands cooperating therewith and driven by said driving-shaft, and a suitable gearing interposed between the driving-shaft of the said clock-train and the said sleeves, and between the said driving-shaft and the said hour-hand,

whereby the outer sleeve and minute disk or indicator are caused to rotate in unison With the said minute-shaft, and the said minutehand and the said inner sleeve and hour disk or indicator are caused to rotate in unison with said hour-hand.

7. In a time-printing machine, a printing bed-plate or seat, a seconds-printing disk or indicator adapted to be rotated and normally supported out of contact with the said bedplate or seat, a printing-die upon which the seconds of a minute are engraved in printing form surrounding the said rotatable secondsprinting disk or indicator, a clock-train adapted to rotate the said rotatable disk, combined With a yielding connection attached to the actuating shaft or arbor of the said clocktrain, by which the said seconds-printing disk or indicator is supported, and a platen adapted to cooperate with said printing-die and r0- tatable disk.

In testimony .whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses, on this 13th day of April, 1894.

JOHN C. \VILSON.

Witnesses E. L. HARLOW, L. H. TROW. 

